Sprinkler



Dec. 16, 1941.

C. N. STONE SPRINKLER Filed Aug. 19, 1939 IN VENT OR. Zone v glare/2 CeBY% M;7

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 16, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPRINKLER Clarence N.Stone, Newton, Mass. Application August 19, 1939, Serial NQ.'291,063 6Claims. ,(Cl. 299-64) widely used to supplement rainfall to maintain.

gardens, lawns and the like in proper condition. While many such deviceshave been proposed for these and similar purposes, the types ofsprinkler most commonly used consisted of a spray head connected to asource by a suitable conduit, or a rotatable spray head actuated by thereactive force of the discharged water.

Several objections exist to such sprinklers. Among the most serious ofthese may be noted the difficulty of moving them without first shutifting oii the flow of Water, and the dimculty of properly wetting thesurface adjacent walks and the like without likewise wetting the walks.

In accordance with my invention, my novel oscillating sprinkler includesa rotatable spray head of any desired length. The spray headin-- cludesat least two oppositely disposed branch conduits having outlet'ports sodisposed that the reactive force of water delivered through one port isopposed by the reactive force of water delivered through another port.Oscillation of the spray head is controlled by a valve mechanismoperable by gravity to'open one port when it closes another port so thatthe reactive force of water delivered through the open port is availableto rotate the spray head in one direction. Partial rotation of the sprayhead results in the actuation of the valve mechanism to close the openport and to open the closed port to cause rotation of the spray head inthe other direction.

' In spray devices in accordance with my invention, I employ novel meansto reduce the friction on the oscillating spray head to a minimum andatthesame time maintain the joint between it tures and advantages willbe readily apparent.

In the drawing:

' Fig. 1 is a view of an embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlargedfragmentary view of the automatic valve control ina position opposite to that-shown in Fi 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional fragmentary View of a valve, and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through the spray head.

At I and 2 I have indicated the supports for my device which are formedto establish legs -3 and are interconnected by rods 4. If desired, thefeet or legs 3 may be provided with wheels or the like, but as shown inthe drawing the heads I and 2 may be formed to establish rims la and 2ato combine the essential rigidity with a minimum of weight.

. The spray head 5 comprises a hollow pipe closed at one end andprovided with a spindle 6 'for which I provide an anti-friction bearing1 in The head 5'15 supported at its other end by the water inlet conduit9 carried by the support I and to which the hose H] is detachablycoupled. As shown in Fig. 3, the inlet 9 receives the open end of thespray head 5 and to render the joint water tight I position within theinlet 9 a washer element II. In practice I use a leather cup-shapedwasher that may be considered as including a sleeve portion Ha, theinside diameter of which is substantially the same as that of the head 5and a shoulder portion llb, the inside diameter of which is less thanthat of the head 5. p

The washer element II is loosely confined adjacent the open end of thehead 5 by any suitable means such as the spring, ring l2 lodged in theannular groove I3 in the inlet 9. In Fig. 4, the washer element II andthe ring I2 are shown, for clarity, spaced from each other and the endof the head 5 a greater distance than in actual practice.

In use, the pressure of the water forces the washer l 1 against the openend of the head 5 and tightly against the inlet 9. Because the area ofengagement of'the portion llb with the open end of the head 5 is lessthan the area of engagement of the portion Ha with the inlet 9,oscillation of the head 5 has no efiect onthe washer ll.

While the washer ll may be leather, it may also be of any suitablematerial having sufficient flexibility to be maintained in sealingrelation to the head 5 and the inlet 9 by the pressure of the "removedand replaced when necessary.

delivered fluid. The washer may be reinforced, if desired, as by a metalring He.

The hose ID may be attached to the spray head in any other manner butthe use of my novel liquid tight and nearly frictionless joint isobviously desirable since it is desirable to avoid water leakage and anyinterference with the free oscillation of the spray head 5.

The spray head 5 carries pipe sections l4 and I5 establishing a T havingspaced outlet ports I6 and IT. The ends of the pipes I4 and I5 areclosed as at I8 by plugs which may be removed to drain the sprinkler orto permit it to be flushed out.

At I9 and 20 I have shown links pivotally connected to a rod or tube 2|and to the pipes I4 and I5 adjacent the outlet ports I6 and I1,respectively. Each of the links l9 and 20 imcludes a cage portion 22 forthe valve members 23 and 24, respectively, which may be readily Thecages 22 are adjustably locked in proper position as by set screws 22athrough the slots lea and 20a in the links I9 and 20.

In operation water delivered through the head 5 to the pipes I4 and I5is discharged through the spray jets 8 and through whichever of theports I6, I! is open. While it is theoretically possible that the rod ortube 2| be so balanced that both of the ports I6 and I"! are open, itwill be found in practice that this situation never results andtherefore only one of the ports I6, I! will be open and available tostart the oscillation of the head 5.

Water discharged through the open port (I6 in Fig. 1 and I! in Fig. 2)has a reactive force effective to swing the pipes l4 and I5 and turn thehead 5 on its axis. 'When the pipes l4 and I5 have swung beyond ahorizontal position, the

tube or rod 2| is shifted by gravity causing a simultaneous closing ofthe port I6 and an opening of the port I! as indicated in Fig. 2. It isa requirement of the rod 2| that it connect the valves for simultaneousmovement and have sufiicient weight to provide positive valve closingand cooperate with the reactive force of the water in effecting an evenoscillation of the sheet of spray established by the jets 8.

It should be noted that the weight of the rod 2| is not the only factorinvolved in controlling the ports I6 and I1. Because of the leverageestablished by the links I9 and 20 on the rod 2|,

these parts may be kept relatively light and still .delivered throughthe newly opened port opposes the rotative influence of the rod 2| onthe spray head 5 and that the water delivered through the other port asit is closed, provides a hydraulic cushion for the valve. Thus, themomentum in one direction is not immediately checked with the closing ofa port, but the water discharged through the opened port is effective togradually check movement in one direction and cause a reverse movementso that harsh or irregular oscillation of the head 5 is avoided. Thereis no necessity, when my devices are in use, for a mechanical bumper,although one may be employed to cushion the arms when the device isbeing moved.

Because variations in water pressure may interfere with the mostsatisfactory operation of my invention by causing too rapid oscillation,and because the water pressure utilized to actuate my sprinkler may bematerially less than that of the water in the hose I0, I prefer toemploy a valve 25 in the head 5, whereby the effective reactive pressuremay be regulated. If desired, the flow of water to the arms l4 and I5may be prevented, establishing a stationary spray which is sometimesdesired.

In accordance with my invention I am therefore able to provide asatisfactory sprinkler which not only effectively sprays a rectangulararea with a regularly oscillating curtain of water, but which may bereadily moved from one position to another without shutting off thewater. While my novel sprinkler may be approached from either end, itmay be most conveniently approached from the end established by thesupport 2, since if desired, either the arm I4 or the arm I5 may beheld, preventing oscillation while water is still being dischargedthrough the spray jets 8 so that the sprinkler may be safely moved orthe valve 25 adjusted. On release of the retained arm, the oscillationwill immediately commence.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A sprinkler comprising a support, a spray head horizontally mountedin said support for axial rotation, means to cause said head tooscillate, said means'comprising a pair of conduits carried by saidhead, each of said conduits including an outlet port and said conduitsbeing so disposed relative to each other and'said head that the reactiveforce of water delivered through said ports is mutually opposed, andgravity operated valve means to eifect the opening of one portsimultaneously with the closing of the other port so that said ports.are alternately opened, whereby the reactive force of water discharged"through said ports effects oscillation of said head.

2. A sprinkler comprising a support, a spray head horizontally mountedin said support for axial rotation, means to cause said head tooscillate, said means including a pair of conduits carried by said head,each of said conduits including an outlet port and said conduits beingso disposed relative to each other and said head that the reactive forceof water delivered through said ports is mutually opposed, and valvemeans to open and close said ports so that said ports are alternatelyopened, whereby the reactive force of water discharged through saidports is controlled to effect oscillation of said head, said valve meansincluding a valve pivotally mounted adjacent each port, and a linkinterconnecting said valves.

3. A sprinkler comprising 'a support, a spray head horizontally mountedin said support for axial rotation and means to cause said head tooscillate, said means including a pair of conduits carried by said head,each of said conduits including an outlet port and said conduits beingso disposed relative to each other and said head that the reactive forceof water deliveredlthrough said ports is mutually opposed, and valvemeans to open and close said ports sothat said ports are alternatelyopened, whereby the reactive force of water discharged through saidports is controlled to effect oscillation of said head, said valve meansincluding a weighted member, a link pivotally connected to said weightedmember and to said conduits adjacent each of said ports, each of saidlinks including a cage and a replaceable valve member in each cage.

4. A sprinkler comprising a support, a spray head horizontally mountedin said support for axial rotation and means to cause said head tooscillate, said means including a pair of conduits carried by said head,each of said conduits including an outlet port and said conduits beingso disposed relative to each other and said head that the reactive forceof water delivered through said ports is mutually opposed, and valvemeans to open and close said ports so that said ports are alternatelyopened, whereby the reactive force of Water discharged through saidports is controlled to effect oscillation of said head, said valve meansincluding a weighted member, a link pivotally connected to said Weightedmember and to said conduits adjacent each of said ports, a valve memberfor each port, a cage for each valve member, and means adjustablyconnecting said cages to said links.

5. A sprinkler comprising a support, a spray head horizontally mountedin said support for axial rotation and including a pair of conduitshaving outlet ports, said conduits being so disposed relative to eachother that the reactive force of water delivered through said ports ismutually opposed, a valve for each port and gravity operated means tosimultaneously actuate said valves so that when one port is open, theother port is closed, said gravity operated means first retardingpartial rotation of said head in one direction effected by the reactiveforce of water delivered through one port, then closing that port andcontinuing rotation of said head in that direction until the reactiveforce of water delivered through the other port is effective to causepartial rotation of said head in the other direction.

6. A sprinkler comprising a spray head, a support, means on said supportrotatably supporting said head, said means including a bearing for oneend of said head adapted to take thrust and radial loads, a conduitadapted to detachably receive a hose or the like and to receive theother end of said head, means in said conduit to seal the joint betweensaid conduit and said head, said sealing means comprising a cupshapedWasher including a sleeve portion and a shoulder portion, said portionsbeing adapted to be forced into tight engagement with said conduit andthe end of said head by the pressure of fluid in said conduit, means toconfine said washer in said conduit adjacent the end of said head, andmeans to oscillate said head, said means including a pair of conduitshaving outlet ports so disposed relative to each other that the reactiveforce of water discharged through said ports is mutually opposed andgravity operated valve means to eflect the opening of one portsimultaneously with the closing of the other port.

CLARENCE N. STONE.

